Guest Author: Follow The Leader
Every month at Follow the Leader, we like to honour students that go above and beyond with their pups with a special feature.
This month we’ve interviewed Henry Toller Tails’ human about their dog Henry!
So tell us a bit about your dog and how you first got him?
Henry is a sweet and smart dog. He is very scent driven. When we’re out walking, Henry will pick up a scent and tracks it. Sometimes if feels like we are tracking an imaginary animal or person. So, it’s fun, especially in the snow.
Well first we did a lifestyle audit to see what type of dog would be a good fit for our family. And we kept coming across the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, or “Ducktoller” for short.We couldn’t fund any Ducktoller rescues in our region. So, we researched breeders, met with Ducktoller owners, went to dog shows and luckily found a great ethical breeder.
Like all quality dog breeders, they picked Henry for us after interviewing us and watching us interact with their dogs. When we met Henry, it was love at first sight. And it still is every day.
What’s your favourite thing about your dog?
Everything! Really, there isn’t one favourite thing. Ducktollers are very sensitive and smart. Henry is quick at figuring out a puzzle or toy.
And like all Ducktollers, Henry’s very attached to his people and those he chooses, which seems like a weird thing to like. But it’s nice that Henry has his own mind and makes decisions. It’s so interesting to watch too.
What made you decide to take training classes?
We always knew we were going to take a training class, before we got Henry.
Since dog training helps you develop a language and communicate with your dog, we felt it was a must to ensure a happy dog and home. It also gave us a chance to meet other dogs and dog owners.
Also, Henry enjoys learning and watching other dogs working with their owners.
When we were looking for certified dog trainers who believed in humane force free training, Follow the Leader kept coming up and we tried it out.
What behaviour have you found the most useful in your every day life?
Overall, all the dog training skills we learned have helped up develop a shorthand communication with Henry. Since we started early with Henry, it’s been very handy. He usually understands what we are asking, such as “floor” with a hand signal means to get down off of something and he does. Outside, the “off” or “leave it” skills are super useful. If Henry’s thinking of eating something off the ground, we just have to ask him not to. It’s really an important life saving skill for dogs.
However, when we got Henry it was winter, and he developed a big love of mittens and gloves. Sometimes he still tries to steal them off people. Since it’s a seasonal thing and he’s still young, we’re working on that!
Are there any other classes you’d be interested in taking in the future or any other dog related activities you'd like to get into?
We took Rally-O Foundations and learned so much. Henry really seemed to like it too.
So, probably trying more Rally O classes. Because Henry is so into smelling, if we could find a general scent work class geared to canine enrichment and understanding your dog’s nose, instead of police search detection, that would be fun.
You can check out Follow The Leader and the adventures of their pupils on their Instagram account (@ftldoggies), or check out their blog by clicking here.
Please note: This is not a sponsored post. Toller Tails did not receive any payment, complimentary service, sponsorship or otherwise to post this guest blog post. Please see our content policies section for details.